Great2BThin

Good evening. Sounds like others have mother problems too. Thanks for all the advice I've been getting. I appreciate it all. Phyl, the pride thing with your's and her walker. My Grandma is like that. She uses a walker but when she goes to church she refuses to use it when she goes forward for communion. Arlene, sorry for all you are dealing with your mom's blindness. That has got to be so hard. Eva, of course, I'd love to see you if you come to Colorado. The pots my daughter wants are Calphalon Unison, it's some new nonstick type they came out with. The $500 was for a 10 pc set not just one pot. EGADS!! Knee is sore tonight but had a great day. I saw the surgeon today and he said I am doing 'super'. He cautioned me about not letting the PT push me too far after I told him what happened last Friday. He said sometimes they tend to get too agressive. And he said it was fine to still take the pain pills. So I felt good about that. I see him again in a month. We are driving to S. Dakota for Thanksgiving and he cautioned me that I needed to get out and walk every hour of the drive as there's still a danger of blood clots for 3 mos.

YAHOO!! Good luck, Latte! I was just down there today at Rose for my post op with my knee doc. Stopped my Dr Snyder's office to say hi. I have an appt with him next week. Janet, Grandma is fine, thanks for asking. her dr appt yesterday went well. She has the beginnings of pulmonary hypertension I guess. Her O2 levels were borderline but she's not going on any oxygen at this time. Dr. gave her her choice. He's been tweaking her Rx's and seems to have her in a good place there now as well. She goes back in March.

Janet, thanks for those words. You are confirming just what DH is telling me as well. I've done what I can, and I need to take care of me and just be me, they can take it or leave it. I will still love them and respect them but won't be a doormat for them either. Thanks. I am feeling so much better already. Well today was a very busy day with Grandma. My knee handled it all very well. We went to Super Walmart, Gordmons, her Dr. appt and lunch. Then I had to carry her groceries into her apartment and put them away. Tonight if I'm up to it and I think I am, DH & I are going to Macy's. I have a 20% off coupon and my daughter wants a specific type of Calphalon cookware for a wedding gift that is $500 so with my 20% that is $100 off so we are thinking of going and getting it now. Also it's support group night for my lap band and am debating about going. Not sure.

Okay I hope I am not getting too deep or depressing here but this is exactly what DH & I were discussing Sunday at lunch and my issues with my family (parents and sisters). I agree so much with what you said, Apples, but my problem is with them there's not that close of a relationship. DH tells me my relationship with my mom is what it is and it's not going to change. He says I put so much stress on myself thinking along the terms of, 'if only I said this or if only I did this' thinking that there's some magic thing that I can do that will make it all better. But I dread the day they die and wondering if I will have regrets. I want so much to have that close 'Norman Rockwell painting' relationship with my family, but it's just not there. I know when they are gone I will still have wished that and I wonder if I will have regrets that I didn't try harder? DH stresses that I do show my family love, I honor and respect my parents so should have no regrets. I don't know maybe I am rambling. I've just tried so hard with them only to get squashed down like a bug every time, the latest is over the upcoming Christmas holiday, I want them all to come over to be together on Christmas eve, they want none of it. They've hurt me so much yet I keep putting myself out there to get hurt again thinking maybe this time. I know right now my Grandma is the glue that holds the family together but once she passes I just don't see us getting together that much at all or much of anything there. Strange family! Speaking of Grandma I better get going to pick her up for the dreaded dr appt. Thanks for listening to my rambles this morning.

Eva, sorry about your HR letter. My DH has 33 yrs with his company, his retirement was 'frozen' about 5 yrs ago, never to grow again, he'll get whats there and that's it. We are trying to contribute as much as we can now to the 401K. He also had 7 weeks vacation but had 2 or 3 of those taken back too. So I know well of what you are going through. I think company pensions are a thing of the past anymore. Gift cards, LOVE THEM!!! I used to think the same thing, impersonal. In fact, when my family drew names while my parents were here, I made a comment about a gift card to Bass Pro for my DH when someone asked what to get him. My sister blew a gasket, went on and on how impersonal they are. Heck, DH would think it was the best gift ever. My mom got my name and the only thing I told her I wanted was an Ann Taylor gift card. LOL Makes so much sense to me, rather than her go get me something there for $50 (our gift limit) she can get me the gift card, I can pick out what I like and probably get a couple things on the after Christmas clearance prices as well. Funny, I got my sisters name, guess I better not get her a gift card. ha ha Last year my kids both got me gift cards as did DH and I had so much fun shopping after Christmas. I am hoping to get to do the same this year! LOL LAst Christmas I wasn't even to 100 lbs lost, this Christmas I am at goal. Fun fun!!

Apples, I don't know your family situation but obviously this family thinks as much of you as you of them. You said this lady was a mother to you and obviously the family considered you their kin as well. They are very lucky to have you as part of their 'family'. Well tomorrow is a busy day for me. My Grandma (she's 100 remember) has a dr appt tomorrow. She is very very nervous about this one. Her last tests said she had the beginnings of pulmonary hypertension, not exactly sure what that is I know pulmonary is lungs and hypertension is high blood pressure, but I googled and that doesn't sound well. She is so worried about being put on oxygen or something like that. Please say a prayer that all goes well for her tomorrow. Apples, for me to lose this grandma is probably like you losing this special lady in your life. I dont' have a great relationship with my mother but my grandma has had a big impact on my life. I am grateful for every day I still have with her.

I did have my gall bladder out exactly 2 mos after my lap band surgery. The gall bladder was a tougher recovery. However, I don't know if that was because it was a tougher surgery or if it was because it was so close to my lap band surgery and my body just hadn't fully regained it's strength from the first surgery. My lap band surgery did both surgeries and he used most of the same incisions for the gall bladder that he made for the lapband, needed one new one. Any Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) shoppers out there? Some of the ads are being leaked already, www.black-friday.net is one of the websites that has them. I will be in SD and unable to go to the sales this year again. I like to have most of my shopping done by then anyway. Plus we are cutting way back this year. My knee is still feeling pretty good today after therapy, so it must've been the lack of pain pills last time and then over doing it a bit after therapy. Thank goodness. I am feeling much more encouraged.

Congrats on getting your surgery scheduled!! Hopefully Dolly still has that opening and gets you on the schedule, I'd keep calling, and be sure. I go to Orchard church too. As for the support group, it meets tomorrow night (1st and 3rd Tues of the month). I've seen kids there a couple times but generally there aren't any there. The Thornton Civic center is at Thornton Pkwy (which turns into 92nd) and I-25 (kindda right off Grant st and behind Sam's club if you know where that is). Laura, so glad that clerk had your wallet. I bet she will really appreciate that letter you sent on her behalf! Julie, yep most of my snow is gone. Well therapy went much better today. Actually the actual therapy didn't go bad last time either it was afterwards that I got so bad. This time I took 2 Vicodin before and one after and my PT guy didn't push things too far today. Though I did move up the the 6 inch step from the 4 inch one and was able to lower the bike seat a tad and still get the pedals around. he thinks my troubles stemmed from on Friday my lack of pain pills and we had upped some exercises. Also, today I came home (after meeting DH for lunch) and didn't go by Grandma's and do extra running around. I told her I would take her tomorrow instead.

Janet & Laura, cute pics posted today, thanks for sharing. Can't help but be thinking of our Apples this weekend. Had a quiet day here other than church and a run to Bass Pro shops to officially start my Christmas shopping, got my son done. I watched the Packers/Vikings game this afternoon and so wanted my Pack to beat Brett Favre but no such luck. I am originally from Wisconsin and have been a cheesehead all my life. LOL Am nervous for therapy tomorrow after what happened on Friday and how much pain I got but am going to go into with my pain pills this time and have already told Grandma that I will see her on Tuesday, making no other plans for tomorrow until I see how it goes. I ventured out today for the first time without my cane and did pretty good. I just used a shopping cart at Bass Pro. Cannot believe it is Nov 1st already and that next month is actually Christmas. I also, I guess, am the opposite of many of you in that I just hated going back to standard time today. I hate how early it gets dark now.

Yep I put that slide show in before the class. If there was someone wearing a turquoise vest that was me. They make me wear the volunteer vest while I am there. I just got an email today about the Nov. Thornton support group, it's on Tues. night at the Thornton Civic center and Beth, a dietician, is going to do a presentation on holiday cooking, it's at 630 ifyou are interested. I know that park just as Adams County Fairgrounds. Was just there a few weeks ago for a church picnic. Hope you get your childcare issue worked out.

Latte, I would've been at your nutrition class in July if it was a Wed. morning one. I set those rooms up each Wed. and answer questions etc. until Kim arrives from doing rounds to teach the class. I will be back volunteering probably the week before Thanksgiving or so, gonna give my knee time to get good and healed as it's a lot of walking. I work in Kim's office, but then I go over to Rose on the 6th floor and visit all the bypass patients and occassional lapband that had stayed over night in the hospital. Sometimes I then run over to Dr. Snyders to drop off stuff or vice versa, lots of walking. That hospital is huge with all the walkways, etc. Also on the 1st and 3rd Tues of the month I occassionally go to the support group that meets in Thornton at the Thornton Civic Center. I was going to be a co leader of that one but somethings happened and it didn't work out. I used to go regularly but have gotten less regular lately. I hope it works out for you to get your surgery on Friday. Dr. Snyder is great and the aftercare has been wonderful. Amanda does most of the fills and she's awesome. I got fills every 2 weeks at first to get good restriction. They want to see you succeed and are pretty good about getting you your fills.

Congrats on your 100 lbs lost Nicole!! I am a June Bug, most post on the June 08 surgery date board, but it's gotten very quiet lately. You might get some responses over there. You were banded 2 days before me. I was banded June 5, 2008. I hit my goal at about my one year mark and am thrilled with my progress. I'd ideally like to lose 10 lbs more but my body seems to like where it's at and that's okay too. I've gone from a size 26 jean to a size 8. Well I have 2 size 8's that fit me, the rest are 10's but that's okay, I'll take it!!

No plans here, we don't Celebrate Halloween actually and have plans to go out tonight for a nice dinner. I think I am craving Red Lobster. No yesterday I did not take a pain pill for the first time I took Ibuprofen instead thinking that would be enough. I learnt my lesson. They told me the same thing to always take my pain pill before, I was just nervous about driving on the pain pills. I paid a big price yesterday, I hadn't had that much pain since surgery really. I think I finally caught up on the pain through the night with the pills, ice, etc. Grandma wanted me to take her grocery shopping on Monday which is a therapy day so I already told her we'd have to wait til Tues. which was fine to her. I guess I am starting to get impatient and want it better now and now that this is a marathon not a race. I was so worried last night that I damaged something or wasn't going to get the pain back under control. Poor DH I was a basketcase, crying, etc. Lesson learnt! Pain pills aren't a bad thing. As for the liquids before a fill, I wasn't allowed anything the morning of a fill. Liquids only after until evening and then mushies, regular food the next day. Yahoo for the extension on the first time buyer credit. Sure you don't want to look for that house in Huntington Beach now? LOL Just joking. Glad you are enjoying your visit. You'll get your band, fills back on track when you get home, I can tell how committed you are to this lifestyle which I admire you for at such a young age instead of waiting til your 50's like I did. Don't ever worry about leaving me out especially in your circumstances now. It's so comforting to know someone lived such a great life. I am sure she is smiling down on you now.

Good evening, this place is quiet today. I had therapy today on my knee. Therapy seemed to go well, I went up in my range of motion again, got the pedals all the way around on the bike, increased the weights on my exercises. But OMG afterwards did I have pain and swelling. One spot sortta below my knee and on the inside was about the size of an egg. I've been back on my vicodin since. It didn't seem to hurt that bad during therapy but afterwards. I was pretty down about it, but feeling better now. This is probably the most pain since the first week after surgery, but this too shall pass. Stopped and visited my Grandma after but had to leave and come home and get my RX and put my leg up. DH is pampering me tonight so there's a good benefit. Apples, am thinking of you this evening and weekend. Meredith, anything new on the house? How's your CA visit going?

Hope it works out for you, Coconut! I have the LapBand AP or something like that, not the Realize one but I think CharleneK that posts here has the Realize.

Oh Apples, so sorry to get up this morning and read of your loss. I can tell how special she was to you and the influence she has had in your life. She's made a lasting impact on you and her legacy will live in you. We are here for you whenever you need to talk about it. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Porucpine, you can either hit 'quote' in the post you want to directly respond to, or if there are several posts you want to respond to hit 'multi' as you read, then hit reply at the bottom and you can type your response between each quote. Or you can just remember and type out responses to each person as I did and if you can't remember, just scroll down from your reply window and below you should see the most recent posts. Our snowstorm has ended, no sun yet but they say it is coming. I have therapy today and need to pick up a few things at the store. Will be good to get out for a bit.

BalletGirl, Glad the PA eventually listened to you on the unfill amount. You've had your band long enough and know what you need best. I was banded in June of 08 and when I first read or people telling the dr office how much of a fill they wanted, I thought what the heck, how am I supposed to know that. Well after a few fills and some experience, I feel I know just what I need when I go in too. It took me getting to a place of too much of a fill as well. They took out a half cc and it was too much and then had .25 put back in and I am at my sweet spot as well. Whodda thunk .25 could make that much of a difference. Suddenly my mother who has always told me how overweight I was my whole life, seems to be on this kick of telling me I am now too thin. I'm still not quite to the 'normal' BMI but am at the goal that my dr set for me and am happy where I am, but would be happier 10 lbs less I think. So I am trying to block her out. I think she's not used to seeing me at this weight.

Julie, you can have our snowstorm!! It's a whopper. We have about 2 feet, still snowing but they say the worst is over. It's really bad out on the eastern plains now and the highway is closed from east of Denver to KS. Our old neighbors from Las Vegas were supposed to come through today but they had to postpone due the weather. Now I have a double crockpot of chili, just had some for lunch. I'm praying that maybe some chili will help with my, ummmm, constipation issues. It's been really bad. They told me the vicodin could have that effect. I see several folks mention taking that for various pains. Has that been your experience with it at all?? I am back to taking Miralax nightly and it still took since Sat. until today to, ahhh, get things to move ever so little. (sorry for too much detail).

Welcome Ballet Girl. I guess only you know if you should write a letter. If you were that offended and wanted the dr to know, then by all means. Personally I'd have loved to have been called skinny and asked what I was doing there. LOL But sounds like he was rather rough with the unfill. Why'd you need an unfill? Sounds like you are at goal?? How much did you lose?? Congrats to you on your success. Sounds like you were quite successful. Keep up the good work and welcome to this thread.

Good morning from snowy Colorado! It's awfully white out there. We have at least a foot on the ground and they say 3 to 6 more inches to fall today. My therapy place called last night to postpone my appt until Fri so that is good I was nervous about going out in this with my cane. Stupid newscasters, all they are showing is various reporters standing in their parkas and snow telling us it's snowing, kindda like the reporters you see standing by the beach during a hurricane. Janet, Littleton is south of me, my SIL lives there. Most schools are closed today so kids are happy. Porcupine, tell us more about you so we can get to know you. Latte, I think that was part of your screen name, from CO, what happened to you? Hope to hear from you again. Eva, sounds like some challenging changes for you at work. So when a turtle flips on to it's back is it stuck and fatal? I obviously don't know much about them.

Hey there VZ, the knee is doing pretty good. Thanks for giving me hope for the calves/boots. Don't think I am there yet. Wow you are doing great, you've continued losing a lot. That would be cool to say that I lost half my body weight. I'd need to lose 25 lbs more though, not sure about that. But I would like to lose at least 10 more. I am getting those too thin comments too. Especially from my mom. She now delights in telling me how old my face looks. Gee, thanks mom! Most others tell me I look so much younger. Oh well. Mom has never had much nice to say.

Apples, is that a 13x9 cake pan? I am assuming so but wanted to make sure. I am responsible for a Thanksgiving dessert in SD might just have to make this. Goodness it's still snowing and not supposed to stop til tomorrow. We have over 6 inches so far. They are saying up to a foot. It's the heavy wet stuff. Am concerned about the trees as they haven't all lost their leaves yet. For those east of me, it's coming!!

Been there, done that. Banded June 5, 2008, gall bladder out Aug 8, 2008. My lap band dr also took out my gall bladder. I was very happy about that and felt confident going into that surgery since he also knew my band. He even used many of the same incisions. Recovery was a little rougher I think because it was so close to my lap band surgery. I really didn't have lots of pain but my stamina etc. took a long time to come back. Now a little over a year later, I am at goal, and recovering from knee replacement surgery. Three surgeries in a little over a year's time is enough for me! Good luck to you. Never heard about the band possibly having to come out though. Though I do remember my surgeon telling me that he checked out 'his handiwork' while he was in there and all looked good.

Apples, thanks for the info on the jeans, I didn't see your other post, we must've posted at the same time. I don't have a TJ maxx close but I do have a Marshalls and Ross so maybe will check there. Or will go to the full price store to find my size and put them on my list for Santa!! Thanks for the recipe too, it sounds similar to what I decided on. A friend brought me 'chicken spaghetti' for dinner after my surgery, it's something I can prepare ahead of time and then just put in the oven when they get here. DD said she'd pick up some rolls and salad for me at the store. I think I have some cakemixes for a dessert.

So how'd that candy get into your house?? Halloween isn't til Saturday. Hide it! We don't do Halloween so don't have much candy around. However some M & M's have found their way to the candy dish. At least they are the plain ones and I can leave them alone. If they had peanuts in them, the'd be gone. Woke up to lots of white stuff on the ground. It is supposed to snow all day today and into tomorrow but be in the 60's by Sunday I think. My dogs went out this morning and were surprised but then tore around playing in it,they were fun to watch. Glad I don't have to go anywhere. I am not so concerned about driving in snow anymore but am concerned about walking with my cane and new knee and stability on my feet. Here I mentioned closets yesterday and everyone else is getting their's done and I haven't touched mine. I better get busy. i got an email from some old neighbor's when we lived in Las Vegas and they are driving through town tomorrow and want to stop and visit. They are coming right at dinner time and want to have dinner so guess I need to come up with something or maybe we can go out. Linda, I hope you are feeling better today. I get those moods sometimes too. Laura, don't be too hard on yourself about not getting to the gym. Your whole world has just been turned upside down with your dad's illness. Just do what you can when you can and be aware of being more active in your every day activities. Apples, I've seen those 7 jeans, I need to check them out. I had said when I got to goal weight I wanted a pair of designer aka good expensive jeans. Where do you find them? Janet, hope you don't get that cold so you can be in tip top shape for your family's visit. Phyl, you rock, you are giving me hope in the knee. I've been getting frustrated. I know it's only 3 weeks since surgery but I guess I thought I wouldn't be having pain anymore. As soon as I do much I'm hurting again. And it's still swollen. I googled knee replacement surgery and saw bits of some videos of it and OMG they are rough, it's no wonder it hurts. I guess I just am tired of being less than 100%. Does the skin on your knee still feel numbish, tinglish, weirdish? Meredith, enjoy your trip to CA!!